Get Your Students Hired
Frequently I find that there is a root cause of the inattentiveness so I try to get to the "root" of it. Most times, if the student is able to express themselves honestly, they can better focus following the "release".
I agree as asking questions keeps students on their toes, because they do not want to be caught out. It also allows me to figure out rather quickly if the students are understanding the concept. I use stories a lot from both my student days and my career to keep the subject relevant. Students often mention to me a question they may have had on their board exams that they remembered because of a story.
I like to talk about good things that I have experienced in my field and the good rewards that came of them.
Hi Tim,
I have found that involving students really keep them on their on toes. No one likes being caught off guard.
Patricia Scales
Definitely a challenge. I try different strategies, calling on them during discussion being the most direct. I often move around the classroom during lecture, and calling on some students for examples of the lecture topic. I try humor, usually situational, but sometimes envolving short stories to illustrate a point.
Tap into a part of them that you know or believe are motivated about. It will give them an offer to be involved.
I would begin by walking over near them and continue to lecture. Also I would try to make eye contact.
The 15 minute lecture followed by activity is definitely a positive move. It is so important to keep students motivated and focused. The adult learner has an attention and focus span of about 15 minutes and then can become overwhelmed with new information so breaking up the lecture portion with activity
Pairing students who are inattentive in small group discussions can refocus them into the current discussion. Assigning the group a task or case study to solve can help involve the inattentive student with a task to get them excited about the course content.
I try very hard to engage all my students; however, there are those who are naturally quiet or those who think they have nothing to offer. I utilize group work a lot. At least once a week - sometimes twice depending on the class - we have group assignments and everyone participates. I often choose the leader of each group and choose the inattentive ones. That way they each have a "voice."
What I usually do when I have an inattentive student is while I lecture I like to give a real life story myself in a situation. I give examples and then I will usually ask the inattentive student if they have ever been in a situation like mine, just to get them back on track where the rest of the class is in the book. Most of the time a student is like that because either they are bored or they do not understand it. I use to be one of those students.
When I feel I am losing the attention of students, I will take a break from the lesson and ask them if they are familiar with some current event in the news that relates to our lesson. I engage the class in five minutes of conversation about the topic, then relate it back to the lesson. This works!
I personally choose to pull the student aside, listen pinpoint the reason for their lack of attention, then emphasize that we need to leave all distractions outside the classroom. This needs to be practiced now, and carried out in their career
I think a good way of capturing inattentive students is to use a lot of hands on projects. Get them involved in doing something with their hands so they can use their brains.
As Richard Carpenter has stated I talk to them after class and try to get their story. I also ask what do they think would help them stay focused in class. Many of my students are tired from the lack of sleep because they have children and jobs. At least knowing their reasons helps me understand their problems.
Hi Cynthia,
I agree! I also love to do hands-on activities with my student for engagement. You should also try scenarios, case studies, role playing, mock learning, and games.
Patricia Scales
My game students are pretty passionate about their work because they are game developers. The only problem I have is that they avoid doing the harder work and try to push it off to someone that wants to do technical stuff.
Some ways I capture students attentions is to make the demonstrations or lectures exciting. I would incorporate my real world experiences into why the lecture is important. Additionally, some of the textbook knowledge is obscure or not explained very well. Thus I tell them what the text is explaining and having them make note of it. This then requires them to pay attention in case they miss something.
This is an excellent way for me to understand why my students arent paying attention. It assists me when im trying to figure out the right learning style for each student.